I know that I write and post a lot about the benefits of massage and how it is great for general health and well-being. It’s easy to assume that when reading this it’s biased and swayed because it’s my business and I am a massage therapist, but the real truth is that I never believed that massage was anything more than just a luxury. That statement right there is blasphemous to my fellow therapists I’m sure, but I have to be honest so that you understand that Massage Therapy has truly changed my life!

Like many of people who only understand massage from what they see in the media, I really thought that massage was all about relaxing with candlelight, incense, and ambient music. It wasn’t until I applied for the Physical Therapist’s Assistant program at my local community college and was denied due to a lack of volunteer hours, that I was introduced to the clinical side of massage. I decided it would be worth my while to at least give it a shot, so I applied and was required to take several medical pre requisites. Pre requisites for a massage class? I knew at this point massage therapy had to be more serious than what I interpreted.

After getting accepted into the program, I was introduced to the program director and future mentor Steve Jurch. From day one Steve took a very scientific and clinical approach to how massage, or soft tissue treatment, can really make a difference in overall health and wellness. Throughout the program, which was almost 2 years long total, I learned more about biomechnical movement, muscular anatomy, and kinesiology than I had ever thought I would. I was also able to see and experience first hand how different the therapeutic approach really was and how immediately the results could be. It changed the way I felt, moved, and even perceived my environment.

My belief in massage therapy became greater and greater over the years, but in the early stages of my career I was still reluctant and somewhat skeptical. I had to ask many questions and do significant continuing education before I started seeing my treatments really effect people in a positive way. There have been many clients that I have worked with since then that have avoided surgery, regained range of motion, reduced painful and stressful symptoms, and so much more! Massage therapy has been around for many years and has been used to treat people for all kinds of aches, pains, disorders, and illness with great results. How can I not believe in this after seeing first hand many different times!?

It may have taken me some time to convert my skepticism, but I have been a massage therapist for over 10 years and let me tell you…if it can change my mind, I’m sure that it can change yours as well!

This morning on a commercial break while watching the news I watched 3 back to back ads for over-the-counter pain medications. First off, I was baffled as to why they would play 3 different ads for the same product and secondly I was taken away by the fact that there are people out there take take OTC pain meds multiple times on a daily basis!

As soon as I could, I had to get to a computer and do some research and what I found was quite mind-blowing. Pain killers are the number one purchased OTC drug and many that are taking these pain killers are misusing them. In a study done by WebMD, it showed that ” nearly half of the 175 million adults who take over-the-counter pain relievers admit to exceeding the recommended dose, and few are aware of the potential risks.” The same research informs that “16,500 people die and 103,000 are hospitalized each year because of NSAID-related problems.”

over-the-counter pain killers can help manage but over time they do more bad than good.

Just like almost all medications that are ingested in pill form, they have to be processed by the liver and after time of continual use of the drugs, the liver can start having problems of it’s own. In addition, after repetitive use of drugs, the body adapts to the medication and more is require to achieve the same result. You can easily see how this is very unsafe and can potentially be fatal.

Low Back pain is at the top of the list for the needs of pain medications

Now I’m not knocking pain medication all together, but there should be no real reason that you have to take it on a daily basis. After all, the medication only treats the symptoms not the cause. To really be effective you need to try and figure out the cause and then treat appropriately. In my experience as a massage therapist, I have found that many people are taking pain medications due to low back pain and severe headaches. In many of these cases these conditions are accompanied by poor posture. Without getting to in depth (I will save that for another BLOG), when the body starts loosing it’s correct posture, structures start to shift. Muscles on one side of the body become tight and on the other side of the body become overstretched. This in itself can cause significant and noticeable pain, but add to that when the muscular imbalance occurs that joints that were meant to move smoothly become compressed and dysfunctional. Blood vessels and nerves can become compressed if the postural alignment is to far from the norm.

You will read many articles that dispute the fact that there is no scientific research or proof that pain has anything to do with improper posture, but I say find out for yourself. Massage Therapy has been proven to relieve pain in the muscle fibers as well as alleviate headaches and help to restore posture, all with no real negative side effects. Ask any person who has received a massage if they felt better afterwards and if their pain was reduced and that should be proof enough that therapeutic massage is a better option than consistently over using OTC pain killers. It’s natural, it has been used for thousands of years, and it gets results!

It is with my greatest pleasure to announce that today, May 1, 2014, marks the 3 year anniversary of DEFINED: Therapeutic Massage! I must begin by thanking my wonderful loyal clients, my amazing associates here in the Charleston area, as well as my amazing family in continually supporting me in this endeavor, my dream.

If you would have told me 10 and a half years ago when I started doing massage therapy that not only would I have still been doing massage therapy but also have a well respected and successful business of my own, I’m pretty sure it would have been hard for me to believe. Almost 4 years ago now, my dream started to develop to create a facility that would offer a unique treatment specially designed for each individual that walked through the door. Three years ago when I opened those doors I was very reluctant as to how to manage the business as well as how accepting the community would be to a type of massage treatment that is not very common from what we see these days. With a passion and with a dream you continue to move forward, sometimes even blindly, until you have accomplished your goals. I did just that and I can safely say that I will not stop now.

Charleston’s Live Professional Wrestling Federation

In the past 3 years DEFINED: Therapeutic Massage’s clientele has done a little more than doubled from opening day, as well as had the privilege to sponsor several great athletes in the Charleston, SC area. D:tm is the proud sponsor of Old School Championship Wrestling and all participating wrestlers as well as the official massage therapist to an up and coming triathlete named Jen Kryzanowski. I am also pleased to announce that we are in discussions to sponsor UFC veteran and MMA fighter Rafaello “The Tractor” Oliveira!

Triathlete and Ironman finisher, Jen Kryzankowski

Three years has also given me the time to become a certified Personal Trainer to help teach corrective exercises that would help restore posture. I have also taken several other classes including Erik Dalton’s Myoskeletal Alignment which has helped the efficiency and lasting effects of my treatments. I continue to be an adjunct instructor in Trident Technical College’s Massage Program where not only do I get the opportunity to help develop some great therapists into the community, but I myself get to stay sharp on my education and knowledge of the ever growing profession that is Massage Therapy.

The ride has been amazing and I am very excited to see what the future holds for DEFINED: Therapeutic Massage. Thank you again to everyone for your continued support…here’s to many more awesome years to come!

Have you ever wondered how it can be so easy for some people to do certain motions such as holding proper posture, swinging a golf club, or speaking a different language, when it seems so difficult for you? Maybe you are curious about how workouts become easier after a short period of time? The body has a process called Muscle Memory. Does this mean that each muscle has it’s own memory?

Muscle memory refers to brains ability to learn how do a movement, then recall those actions and send the correct nerve impulse down the spinal cord to the neuromuscular junctions where the nerve meets the muscle telling it how to move. Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., fitness research director at Quincy College in Massachusetts explains that “your brain creates pathways through your central nervous system, and movements become automatic.”
Nerve impulses follow the path of least resistance and this is why it can be difficult and even painful to learn new movements. As muscles weaken, become injured, or are put in compromised positions such as bad posture, they become bound by toxins and scar tissues that limit movement. The fewer resistance in the muscles the easier it becomes to retrain muscle memory and less painful the process will be.

The brain sends signals down the spinal cord to tell the muscles what to do…don’t let poor posture and toxins get in the way!!

Most people suggest working through the pain and difficulty, but you don’t necessarily have to take that route. Therapeutic massage and proper flexibility training helps to break down scar tissue and assists in removal of metabolic waste build up in the muscles. This allows for easier training of the muscle memory, so if you are starting a new workout, wanting to optimize your performance, or more importantly improve your posture try adding regular massage therapy and a good stretching routine into your regiment to improve your memory!

“Once you start replacing negative thoughts with positive ones, you will start having positive results”

-Willie Nelson

It’s that time of year again, in fact it’s the beginning of the year and that means many will be creating resolutions to help them become a better person or accomplish goals. Most of the time these resolutions include losing weight, getting and staying fit, as well as becoming a better person overall. These resolutions can not always be the easiest to maintain and achieve the larger goal of becoming a better you. Massage may not
always be the first thing that you think of for support, but it is a great
option in creating a new you for the new year!
As you may know massage therapy has many benefits for your mind
and body, but how can massage help your resolutions make a better
you? Massage helps to relieve muscular tension and reduce pain in the
muscles and joints, this makes it easier for you to keep to your workouts. When you are able to workout more often, not only do you feel accomplished and healthier but you can be well on your way to losing weight. Another great way that regular massage can help to sustain your resolutions and assist in making a better you is through the regulation and balancing of hormones. Hormones play an important role in body functions and mood stabilization. When our hormones get out of proper balance due to stress, your body responds by weight gain, depression, and a negative attitude. Regular massage therapy stimulates the production and balance of good hormones in the body that promote metabolism, regulate mood, and boosts a positive attitude.
Resolutions are important to those who set them, so that they can become a better and even a newer version of themselves. If you have set some resolutions this year and feel like you could use some help achieving
them, give massage a chance to be a helping hand in the New Year.

“Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship”

-Buddha

One of the most difficult things during the holiday season is trying to find that perfect gift for people. Most of the time people just purchase gifts to get something even if the recipient may not like the gift. In fact, according to a 2011 survey from the National Retail Federation, an estimated $46 billion in merchandise was returned after the holidays. Wouldn’t it be nice to get gifts for your loved ones that not only they would like, but that would help them become healthier?

If you are use to gifting sweet treats, you can look into getting gift cards to health food stores, or even get gift baskets that cater to healthier options. For those loved ones who have complained about being in pain or that might want to look and feel better, you may want to look into getting them gift cards for massages, skin care, hair treatments, and something as simple as a manicure. Perhaps you have a fitness enthusiast on your list? Find some training equipment or gear that they have been wanting to help with their workouts. Most gyms also offer gift cards for memberships and group fitness classes. Some other great gift ideas to help your loved ones become healthier are special diet cookbooks (Gluten-free, Paleo, etc), supplements, yoga dvds and equipment. There are also many places online that can give you many great ideas with direct links to options for health and wellness gift ideas.

So this holiday season when you are on the quest to find the perfect gift, look to a different and unique option that will not only have a long lasting effect but will also help your loved ones achieve health and wellness in the new year!

“Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots – but you have to play the ball where it lies.”
– Bobby Jones

The weather is cooling off and the Summer is coming to an end and here in Charleston, that gets those who golf quite excited. The cooler weather makes it more appealing for golfers to get their game on!

Golf has become the most popular sport worldwide and according to the National Golf Association there are approximately 26.2 million Americans 18 years of age or older playing at least 1 game per year. Whether one is playing a weekend game for recreation or participating in regular tournaments for competition, the golf game has become more than just a mental game and has become a very physical game. Golf is a whole body activity with a focus targeted at the core muscles. Without proper conditioning, training, and preventative maintenance a golfer could find themselves in chronic pain and frustrated with a game that is not quite up to “par.”

There are many factors that can lead to injury and an unsatisfying game including minor trauma, lack of warm up, overuse of muscles, and the most common a poor posture. These factors can cause pain in many areas throughout the body seeing as body is completely connected, but the main areas that seem to be affected most include the shoulder complex, hips, and the low back. Golfers should be fully aware that the body is made to heal itself and should be educated of how to listen to the body for proper care and preventative maintenance. Therapeutic massage therapists are a great tool for any golfer looking to recover, reduce pain, and gain a better game.
Therapeutic massage therapists can start by simply assessing posture to figure out what muscles are overstretched and what muscles are too tight. Following the assessment, the golfer will soon be educated on anatomy and physiology and how it relates to their golf game. Through communication between the golfer and the therapist, goals and
expectations should be set followed by stretching, sports massage, and even
strengthening exercises. Stretching and massage are key elements to increase blood flow and range of motion. By increasing blood flow the body is able to deliver nutrients and remove wastes more efficiently allowing a quicker recovery. Increasing range of motion will assist in returning the body to a neutral posture and allow the body to move easier which in return, will reduce pain, injury and will have the potential to improving swing techniques producing a better game.

Sean Fister, 3 x World Long Drive Champion and advocate of Massage Therapy

Focused treatment to affected areas including proper core strengthen, stretching, adequate hydration, and therapeutic massage has been proven to improve ball striking, drop game scores, and reduce injury, slicing, anger and frustration. Changing the “bad habits” of old postures can prove to be a bit daunting, but the rewards of better health and an optimized golf game are well worth the time and effort. Since most golfers out there are willing to do just about anything to be as pain free as possible, why not give therapeutic massage a try?